Urban Shark Tank #SCEWC23

Welcome to Urban Shark Tank, an exciting session on the Central Agora at the Smart City Expo World Congress #SCEWC23 that brought together innovative companies and cities committed to tackling pressing challenges. In the dynamic session, three companies dared to enter the tank to present their cutting-edge use cases focused on creating Smart Cities, while city ‘sharks’ judged the replicability of the solutions and asked tough questions.

Introducing the Sharks

Horst Thieme , Smart City Manager at the City of Augsburg, Germany

With over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, he has strong expertise in cloud, data centre, software, management, automation, and storage solutions. He has additionally led sales teams, managed strategic accounts, and built partnerships with clients across various sectors and regions. Now, he is applying his IT skills and knowledge to the field of urban development, as a Smart City Manager at the City of Augsburg. He is passionate about using data and technology to create more livable, sustainable, and inclusive cities for everyone. He works with stakeholders from the city administration, the private sector, and the civil society to design and implement smart city initiatives and projects.

Isabella Longo , Project Director (BIT Habitat) at Barcelona City Council

Isabella Longo is the Project Director of BIT Habitat, the Urban Innovation Centre of Barcelona City Council, which aims to tackle the social, economic, technological, and environmental challenges the city is facing. To do this, she combines the involvement and collaboration of members of civil society, universities, researchers, the business network, and the public sector. She also coordinated the establishment of the EIT Urban Mobility Initiative. For most of the past decade, Isabella has coordinated Barcelona’s Urbanization Observatory (Autonomous University of Barcelona), an urban research centre with a focus on analysing urban and societal transformations and designing strategic plans and policies to tackle specific needs.

Ronan Herron , Digital Strategy Officer at Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Ireland

As a Digital Strategy Officer with over 20 years of experience in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and 12 years in the Local Authority sector, he has been a driving force behind transformative projects at Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council (DLRCC). His leadership has been instrumental in leveraging ICT, open source software, data analytics, and mapping to elevate local government services and operations, with notable achievements including defining and implementing the technological infrastructure for the new Council Chamber and spearheading the development of the Civic Hub customer care centre. He played a key role in digitizing the dlr Grants System and streamlining grant processes for enhanced efficiency. His commitment to technological innovation extends to initiatives like the Smart Dublin Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Internet of Things (IoT) Challenge, showcasing his dedication to shaping the future of Smart Cities.

Introducing the Fish

KOBIL

The first company to present on stage, Hakan Kaplan grabbed the audience's attention with KOBIL 's innovative 'Super-App' Use Case that is currently in use in ?stanbul Büyük?ehir Belediyesi (IMM). The app simplifies 60+ different mini-apps into one app to be used by citizens.

Click the link below to read all about this Use Case on the BABLE platform and make sure to log in or create a free account to find more in-depth information about the financial details and insights.

cityscaper

Next on stage was Yannic Nicolas Schwarz to present Pelicad . cityscaper's Use Case in Essen, Germany "Weberplatz" leveraged 3D Online and AR to enhance citizen communication in urban planning processes. The integration of AR and 3D online models lowered entry barriers, enabling citizens to better comprehend and actively engage in planning processes. Additionally, transparent communication of construction plans, coupled with detailed climate impact analysis, contributed to high public acceptance and facilitated the administration's justification of the winning architectural design.

Click the link below to read all about this Use Case on the BABLE platform and make sure to log in or create a free account to find more in-depth information about the financial details and insights.

Innocode

Morten Holst came onto the stage last to present the Use Case from Innocode in Bydel Frogner (a borough in Oslo). Bydel Frogner has integrated innovative solutions through Innocode's dynamic citizen app. Through collaborations with partners such as Innocode and Ducky, the Frogner district has utilized data-driven insights to gain a nuanced understanding of sustainability in five crucial sectors: Goods and Services, Energy, Food, Public Services, and Transport. The district's app has played a crucial role in enhancing communication, visualization, and engagement strategies in these areas.

Click the link below to read all about this Use Case on the BABLE platform and make sure to log in or create a free account to find more in-depth information about the financial details and insights.

...and the winner is....

Attendees were immersed in a captivating atmosphere as presenters showcased their ideas through engaging performances, multimedia displays, and interactive demonstrations. During the event, the panel of sharks asked questions about the potential impact, business model, replicability and feasibility of each concept. They actively sought innovative ideas that could be scaled and implemented in their own urban landscapes. At the end of the pitches, attendees got to choose the pitch they found to be the most innovative, replicable, and creative.

Huge congratulations to the winner - KOBIL ! The sharks and audience were in agreement that the innovative solution from KOBIL was the winner, but all companies showed great promise in their solutions. Watch the video below to find out more about this ground-breaking solution.

Urban Shark Tank was not just a platform for pitch competitions; it was a space for collaboration, inspiration, and actionable partnerships. Through this event, the aim was to foster a vibrant ecosystem of innovation where cities and visionary companies work together to co-create a more sustainable future.

Interested in having Urban Shark Tank at your event? Are you a company that wants to take part in the next edition of Urban Shark Tank? Follow BABLE Smart Cities and create a free profile on the BABLE platform to make sure not to miss any opportunities!